Improvement in corset-steels



H. I. GOULD. Corset Steel.

No. 196,221. Patented Oct. 16,1877.

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UNITED STATES 'ATENT, OFFICE.

HERBERT I. GOULD, OF PROVIDENCE, RIIODE ISLAND.

IMPR OVEMENT IN CORSET-STEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,221, dated October 16, 1877; application filed August 14, 1877.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HERBERT IRVING GOULD, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corset-Steels; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and complete description of my invention.

My improvements relate to that class of corsetsteels which embody, with the two ordinary corset steels or springs, a third wide steel or spring, commonly called a stay or bush, and the main object of my invention is to so combine these three steels that the wide spring or busk shall not only underlie the two narrow springs when clasped, be inclosed within the fabric of the corset, and susceptible of the requisite degree of longitudinal play to secure flexibility, as heretofore provided for,-but also so that neither the stay nor the permanently overlying narrow spring can be independently moved laterally.

The underlying bush or stay, as heretofore combined with the usual corset-steels, has either been a separate and detachable device, or separately inclosed in fabric, and then stitched to the corset, or by means of a bent portion thereof, which is made to loosely embrace the corset-steel at each end and at one edge, the two being inclosed in the fabric of the corset.

The detachable busk occupies a position in the art and trade which is peculiar to itself, and it does not constitute a part of the corset, as is the case with the others referred to, as well as my own.

In corsets which have the bush inclosed in fabric, and then stitched to the body of the corset beneath both steels, it will be seen that the steel or spring on the same side of the corset with every movement of the body when worn chafes the fabric which incloses the bush and the steel, by reason of a lateral and a longitudinal motion, the bush or steel beingv capable of moving in any direction inde- This movement of the two steels results in speedy wear of the fabric.

In corsets which have the underlying bush and one steel loosely connected therewith, both being inclosed, as described, there is no such wear of the fabric, as in the case previously cited, because the steel and bush are flatly in contact with each other, and have no fabric interposed between them; but in these corsets, however, the central portion of the narrow steel under strain incident to use is frequently moved laterally with reference to the stay or ,busk, which causes all the strain upon the studs, which in each case pass through the fabric to be borne by saidfabric, which results in its rupture at each of the central studs.

In the ordinary corset the studs do not often rupture the fabric, because the strain on the studs is borne by the fabric at the outer edge of the spring; but in the case of the busk last referred to, its outer edge cannot bear the strain, because the narrow steel is capable of more or less lateral springing movement.

My invention consists, mainly, in the combination, with the usual narrow corset-steels, of an underlying stay or busk, which is permanently united at each end, and centrally to one of the narrow steels, so as to prevent any independent lateral movement of either the stay or the narrow spring; and, further, in the combination, with a narrow corset-spring,

of an underlying stay or busk, which is composed of several leaves of thin metal of different lengths, piled at the center, one upon the other, and so iniited to the narrow steel as to prevent lateral movement of the stay or any of its leaves independently of the corset-sprin g, and at the same timeso as to permit the several leaves, when bent as in use, to adjust themselves longitudinally with reference to each other, thus causing them to operate as one complex spring, which has a graduallyincreased flexibility from the middle to each end.

I amaware that stays have heretofore been composed of several leaves of difterentlengths, all of which were united at one end of the stay, and that such stays have either been employed with corset-steels linked to the edge of the stay, or provided with studs at one side for engagement with a corset steel or spring.

' Z i These' are objectionable, first,becanse the stay Z is not equally flexible: at both ends, and, next, Z because ifthe bush; is: properlylocated at the i center of the body, the corsetspring is at the: Z Z i one sidethereof instead of over it; Z I Z Z Z I 1 Z Z Z 1 Z Z Z I am also aware that corset-steels have been Z made of several leaves'of thin steel of the same Z length; but these have unifoinn degree of Z flexibiiitythroughout Z Z 1 Z Z Z Z 1 Z I It is well known that steel corset-springs Z Z are: specially subject: to corrosion, resulting in: objectionablediscoloration :of' the corset; and Z also that stcel isZthe only metal really practi-Z I i cable for the purpose; and in order to obyiate:

' the corrosion I :plate my corset steels and stays in nickel, which can: he Zdoneiwithout im-Z Z pairing their: flexibility or strength, and Zeni-Z i ables me to attain a high and practically noncorrosivefinish. Z

Z Z To more particularly describe my invention, 1 Z I will: refer to the accompanying drawings, in 'Zwhich Z Z Z 'Z'Zl igure 1 represents,in front view, a set of:

Z Z corset-springs Z embodying my improvements.

: Fig; 2 represents the same with one of: the Z narrow springsdetachechz 3 represents,

Z Z Zinrear view, the combined; corsetZ spring :and' l i stay shown in: A represents, in: I Z rear view, the: Z detachable marrow Z spring; 2 Z'Fig; 5 represents, in: front Z view, an ordinary 1 corset steel with studs; attached to: a& plain Z in accordance with one ieature of my in vention. Z

In Figs. 1 and 4,43 denotes the detachable narrow spring which is attached to one side 0f the corset. 1 it is providedwithclasps a, for

engaging with the studs 1) on the second narrow spring 13. The spring B is united to the stay or buskO, preferably, by means of clamps c, which are composed of sheet metal, with ends bent so as to embrace the stay, one end thereof passing around and beneath at the edge, and the other passing through longitudinal slots in the stay, as clearly indicated in the drawings. The necessary studs 1) may be mounted upon these clamps, or upon the nar row steel B at proper points between the clamps. The clasps a are, in this instance, formed of sheet metal, so cut and bent that they also serve as clamps for uniting them to the narrow steel A. The rear end is bent so as to embrace the steel at its rear edge, and the opening for receiving the stud is formed by cutting the metal through at the sides and front only, leaving a portion thereof which, when bent downward and beneath the spring, operates with the opposite end to firmly unite the clasp and spring.

The stay 0 is of novel structure, and is composed of two, three, or more leaves of thin spring-steel of different lengths, as at e,f, and g, which designate three leaves, which are inde pendent of each other, except in so far as they are bound together by the clamps c. The slots h in the stay are of different lengths. Those near each end in the main or longest leaf e: are only as :long as the width ofZtlre'Zzw' metal clamps c, but the: central; slots,'which Z are'inall: of the leaves, are; longer than the Z Z Z Z metal clamp is wide; and, therefore, although I I I bound togethenhythe central: clamps, :theye Z do not prevent a free longitudinal adjustment Z 1 of the leaves with reference to each otherr Z when bent as is incident to their'use- Z On the Z Z Z other hand, all: of these slots are only wide Z Z Z enough to receive the clamps, and, therefore, ZZ

there iszno independent lateral movement: :of Z Z Z Z Z Z the spring: B or Z the: stay 0, or any of its Z Z leaves.

% i it will be seen thatithe leaves of the stay Z 1 Z Z may be of exceedingly thin :steel, and that 1 Z Z Z Z Z Z the: degree of flexibility varies, the stay being Z Z i Z Z Z Zextremely ilexible at each end, and is; stiffened Z Z the endof each leaf, and that these ends Z are each free to move on the surface of the next nnderlying leaf withcuthinderance fiom; Z Z i Z the clamps. The width of the stay is equal ;to' I Z Z the combinedwidth of the springs A and B, as Z heretofore: Z Z Z Z Z Z While the complex or leaf stay, constructed; Z

as described, is deemed; by me Z a great im- Z provementover the plainstay, the latter; may Z Z Z Z Z Z be employed with common Z corset-steel and Z Z Z Z clamps, which willobviate the possibilityof: Z :Z Z Z Z I ZZ Z lateral stminon the studs in acoordancewith Z the main feature of Z my invention, as illus-Z trated in I ig 5, in which B denotes a narrowZ Z Z Z Z ;corset-steel, witlr the studs :64 thereon, applied; Z Z

to a plain stay, O, b ,*'1ueans of clamps c in slots h.

Z ith that construction it is impossible for 5 Q the fabrioof thecorset adjacent to the studs to be ruptured in consequence of the lateral strain thereon, because the fabric at the edge of the stay will bear all the strain, and it will be more or less evenly distributed throughout its length.

Although I prefer the clamps as shown, I am well aware that rivets may be successfully employed for uniting the narrow spring and stay, and that if the stay be provided with slots only wide enough to receive the rivets, a proper lateral unity will be effected without preventing the desirable longitudinal freedom of the stay and its leaves, and I do not, therefore, limit my invention to the form of clamp shown.

The plating of the stay and springs with nickel I find does not impair their springing flexibility, and the high degree of finish attainable uith their practically non-corrosive capacities renders my plated corset-steels of great value in first-class corsets.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with two narrow corsetsprings, respectively provided with clasps and studs, of an underlying stay, which is united at each end, and centrally with one of the narrow springs, substantially as described, whereby, when applied to a corset, the lateral strain springs, respectively provided with olasps will be borne by the fabric at the outer edge of the narrow springs, substantially as deof the stay, as set forth. scribed. 0

2. The combination, with two narrow eorset- HERBERT IRVING GOULD and studs, of anunderlying stay, which is Witnesses:

composed of two or more leaves of different JAMES AFLEGKIE, lengths, piled at the center, and united to one JOHN A. PLATT. 

